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Ceremony and ritual are important aspects of martial arts—so much so that people can forget the very real, very practical applications of self-defense training. The instructors at Hwang's Martial Arts prepare students so that they will be ready if they need to defend themselves, whether standing up or on the ground. Instructors stage realistic self-defense scenarios in tae kwon do and jujitsu classes that instill confidence and self-discipline with each grappling or countering move. Separate classes are also offered in krav maga, the hand-to-hand combat system used by the Israeli Defense Forces. These classes emphasize effective self-defense moves and demonstrate how to take down an attacker in the shortest time possible.

Home to UFC competitors, world champions, and black belts in muay thai boxing and Jiu-Jitsu, Valor Martial Arts gives pros and amateurs alike the chance to train with competitive-grade equipment and tutelage. In the 3,000-square-foot facility, Zebra floors and wall mats set the scene for kickboxers, who hit heavy bags, and an MMA-style octagon where fighters spar. The staff strives to have something for everyone, including Jiu-Jitsu sessions for adults and kids’ programs that aim to instill senses of accomplishment, confidence, discipline, and fitness. When they’re not facing a competitor, students make use of the weight training and exercise area before retiring to the onsite changing facilities.

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If stage actors actually punched and kicked their way through action sequences every night, they’d likely be too concussed to remember their lines. So it’s no surprise that directors and choreographers have come up with several ways to stage a convincing battle. Some of these date back to Shakespeare’s time, while others came about only after centuries of painful innovation. Here are four things to keep in mind while watching the actors beat each other up:1. People have been faux fighting since antiquity.Shakespeare loved a good fight scene, but the Bard was far from the first to stage combat sequences for entertainment. One much older tradition, Japanese Kabuki theater, remains popular today and uses fight-scene techniques known as tachimawari, mimicking the fast-paced movements of samurai through acrobatics and martial artistry.2. You're watching a magic show.Fight director and movement specialist Meron Langsner put it aptly in a 2009 discussion with Tufts University colleagues when he called stage combat "a combination of ballroom dancing and sleight of hand," continuing, "I can make it look like one actor kicked another actor in the head when they're standing 6 or 7 feet apart.”It’s easy for film editors to make a slow-motion slap look as if it were performed in real time, but onstage it’s a matter of timing, balance, and eye contact. During a slapping scene, the slapper hits the victim on the fleshy part of the cheek and quickly pulls away to create the illusion of a full-fledged smack without any lasting damage. A “knap,” the sound of one body part hitting another, can be added in by either actor or a third party offstage to enhance the reality of the situation.3. Actors work with each other, not against each other.There’s a safe technique for every hair pull, groin kick, punch, or noogie you see onstage, and it’s up to the actors to trust each other enough to deploy these methods correctly. During a fight scene, if someone has forgotten the choreography, combatants will often meet in a grappling stance where they can speak freely to each other without the audience hearing. From there, they can agree on the next move or end the fight without spectators being any the wiser.4. For any fight director, safety is the first priority.And for good reason. There are countless cautionary tales of combat gone wrong—from live guns being mistaken for props to faulty aerial rigging—but almost all are avoidable when proper precautions are taken.

Kickboxing isn’t just for karate experts and movie stars anymore. Today, anyone can take a fitness class on the martial art, or even train up to begin their competitive MMA career. Whether you’re interested in a cardio workout or some serious self-defense moves, here are five facts about kickboxing to read before you beat up some bags. 1. Kickboxing is many disciplines in one. It incorporates moves and techniques from different martial arts, so punches, kicks, elbows, clinches, and takedowns might all be fair game, depending on the subset of kickboxing being practiced. It remains a flexible sport, with styles varying widely among martial-arts purists, boxers, and fighters who work to cultivate a unique approach.2. Its versatility translates well to fitness.Kickboxing balances upper- and lower-body flexibility with cardiovascular exercise, making for an effective full-body workout. Practitioners also get the benefit of learning self-defense techniques, getting a leg up on their peers who only know how to chuck a treadmill at an attacker. 3. It's not that old.Kickboxing is quite popular in Thailand, which is also home to Muay Thai—a form of boxing, practiced as a regulated sport since the late 19th century, in which fighters don gloves and other pads. In the early 1960s, a Japanese karate promoter became infatuated with Muay Thai—and particularly the full-contact striking that's not allowed in karate—and saw an opportunity to blend the styles. He prepared karate fighters to take on Muay Thai specialists, and the competition was fierce enough to inspire the birth of kickboxing as an organized sport in 1966. 4. The roundhouse is only one of many possible kicks.Most kickboxers will be familiar with staples such as front kicks, side kicks, and the famous roundhouse. But there are other, advanced kicks that are difficult to master, such as hook kicks, crescent kicks, axe kicks, and spinning back kicks. It’s important to note which techniques are allowed if you’re going into a competition, as certain styles (including American kickboxing) do not allow kicking below the waist. 5. If you get good enough at kickboxing, you’re entitled to an awesome nickname.The best kickboxers tend to have the best stage names. For proof, just look at Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Remy “The Flying Gentleman” Bonjasky, and Peter Aerts, known as “The Dutch Lumberjack” for his brutal high kicks. Learn about other intense workouts:CrossFit, DecodedCrossFit trainer Brendan Ziegler explains some of the workout’s out-there terminology.Five Things to Know About TrampoliningDon't even think about trying to flip until you read these trampolining tips from Team USA's Susan Jacobson.